This invention relates to vehicle door locks and, more particularly, to vehicle door locks that will not jam in the event of a frontal impact on the vehicle.
Efforts are being made to design automobile doors in such a manner that they contribute to the strengthening of the vehicle body. This may be achieved in the case of a frontal impact by having the door brace the vertical columns of the vehicle, between which it is arranged, so that the passenger compartment experiences only a minor shortening of its length during a collision. However, with such an arrangement, a problem arises due to the forces generated in the direction of travel of the vehicle. In particular, the parts of the lock on the door may become deformed due to these longitudinal forces, thereby making it more difficult or even impossible to open the door after the accident.